Adaptive serving companion shared content

Abstract

A system including a monitoring unit to monitor in-stream shared content and content served via the online service to a user; an in-stream shared content receiving unit to receive information about the in-stream shared content served with the content; a companion shared content selection unit to select the companion shared content based on the monitored in-stream shared content and content, and the received information; and a transmitting unit to transmit the selected companion shared content to the online service.

We claim: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a memory; 
 a processor, coupled to the memory, to:
 provide, via an online service, media content for consumption by a user of a user device, wherein the media content is provided for playback within a media player of the user device; 
 provide in-stream shared content to the user device for display within the media player of the user device, wherein the playback of the media content within the media player is discontinued responsive to the display of the in-stream shared content within the media player and while the in-stream shared content is displayed within the media player; 
 receive an indication of user interaction with the in-stream shared content displayed within the media player of the user device; 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction with the in-stream shared content representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period longer than a threshold amount, select companion shared content that is related to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device; and 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period less than the threshold amount, select companion shared content unrelated to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to monitor a parameter associated with the user. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to monitor the user interaction with the in-stream shared content. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 2 , wherein the parameter is a history of accesses to the online service associated with the user. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the companion shared content is to be displayed outside the media player of the user device. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor further to responsive to the indication of the user interaction representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for the time period equal to the threshold amount, select the companion shared content unrelated to the in-stream shared content. 
     
     
       7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 providing, by the processor, media content for consumption by a user of a user device, wherein the media content is provided for playback within a media player of the user device; 
 providing in-stream shared content to the user device for display within the media player of the user device, wherein the playback of the media content within the media player is discontinued responsive to the display of the in-stream shared content within the media player and while the in-stream shared content is displayed within the media player; 
 receiving an indication of user interaction with the in-stream shared content displayed within the media player of the user device; 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction with the in-stream shared content representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period longer than a threshold amount, selecting companion shared content that is related to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device; and 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period less than the threshold amount, selecting companion shared content unrelated to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device. 
 
     
     
       8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , the operations further comprising:
 monitoring the user interaction with the in-stream shared content. 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 7 , the operations further comprising:
 monitoring a parameter associated with the user. 
 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 providing, by a processor, media content for consumption by a user of a user device, wherein the media content is provided for playback within a media player of the user device; 
 providing in-stream shared content to the user device for display within the media player of the user device, wherein the playback of the media content within the media player is discontinued responsive to the display of the in-stream shared content within the media player and while the in-stream shared content is displayed within the media player; 
 receiving an indication of user interaction with the in-stream shared content displayed within the media player of the user device; 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction with the in-stream shared content representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period longer than a threshold amount, selecting companion shared content that is related to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device; and 
 responsive to the indication of the user interaction representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for a time period less than the threshold amount, selecting companion shared content unrelated to the in-stream shared content to send to the user device. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein in response to receiving the indication of the user interaction being a request to be served the in-stream shared content at a later time, selecting companion shared content related to the in-stream shared content. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising monitoring a parameter associated with the user. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising monitoring a user interaction with the in-stream shared content. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the companion shared content is to be displayed outside the media player of the user device. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the parameter is a theme related to the media content being provided to the user. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , wherein responsive to the indication of the user interaction representing that the user has consumed the in-stream shared content for the time period equal to the threshold amount, selecting the companion shared content unrelated to the in-stream shared content.